South Carolina lawmakers & leaders pay tribute to Rev. Jesse Jackson
SOUTH CAROLINA (WOLO) – South Carolina lawmakers and leaders are paying tribute to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died Tuesday at 84 years old.
GOV. HENRY MCMASTER:
A native son of South Carolina, and an icon of the civil rights movement, the Reverend Jesse Jackson was a prominent voice in our nation’s political and cultural dialogue. Peggy and I are saddened to learn of his passing. At the appropriate time, I will direct the flags over the Capitol to be lowered to honor his legacy and memory.
BRANDON BROWN:
Today, we mourn the loss of a giant among men. Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. was more than a civil rights leader — he was a living symbol of hope, love, dignity, and unshakable courage. His life expanded the imagination of what was possible for millions of people across this country and around the world.
For me, his impact was deeply personal.
As a young Black boy growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, I watched a man who looked like me stand on the national stage and run for President of the United States — not once, but twice. At a time when the doors of power felt distant and bolted shut, Reverend Jackson walked straight toward them with determination and faith. Seeing his courage changed my life. It changed what I believed was possible for myself. It planted a seed in me that said: you belong in every room, and you can lead at the highest levels.
He was a powerful standard-bearer for justice — unafraid to speak truth to power, unafraid to challenge systems that denied people their humanity, and unwavering in his belief that we are strongest when we stand together. From the streets to the halls of influence, he taught us that moral clarity and disciplined organizing can bend the arc of history.
Reverend Jackson didn’t just fight for civil rights; he fought for human dignity. He believed in the power of coalition, the strength of community, and the sacred worth of every person.
We send our deepest love and support to his family during this time of profound grief. We also extend our condolences to his global family — the countless people across nations and generations who felt connected to him, inspired by him, and empowered because of him.
The world will never be the same without him. But because he lived, because he dared, because he led — the world is better. May he rest among the ancestors, and may we honor his legacy by continuing the work.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM:
I am sorry to hear of the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson, a native of South Carolina. He was a larger-than-life figure who passionately pushed for his causes, always striving to make America live up to its potential. He led a long and consequential life, and he will be missed by his family and friends.
May he Rest in Peace.
DR. ANNIE ANDREWS:
Remembering Jesse Jackson, a proud native of South Carolina, and his powerful visit to Sesame Street, where he spoke with children about kindness, justice, and believing in themselves.
As a pediatrician and a mom, I’m reminded every day how much representation and hope matter. Rev. Jackson met kids where they were – at their level, in their world – and showed them that their voices count.
May we honor his legacy by continuing to uplift, fight for, and empower the next generation.
JAIME HARRISON:
Today we lost a giant.
My first real political memory was watching Rev. Jesse Jackson speak at the 1988 Democratic Convention with my grandfather in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
He had not won the nomination — but he had won our imagination.
“America is not a blanket woven from one thread…”
To a poor Black kid from South Carolina, that was permission to dream.
Rev. Jackson didn’t just run for President. He made it real. He widened the path.
There would be no Ron Brown, no Donna Brazile, no Barack Obama, no Jaime Harrison as America came to know us — without Jesse Jackson first expanding what felt possible.
He didn’t win the nomination. He changed the future.
Rest in power, Rev.
REP. JERMAINE JOHNSON:
RIP to a trailblazer! A true son of South Carolina. A man who’s shoulders I stand on today. A civil rights icon for all people. I was honored to not only have met him, spoken with him, marched with him but in this image, I was actually praying with him. This is a moment that I will cherish forever and never forget. RIP Reverend Jackson, job well done.
